Electric connection box and relay module

Abstract

A relay box is provided with: a main housing; and a mounting section, which is provided in the main housing, and has selectively mounted thereon a relay block having a plug-in relay mounted thereon and removable therefrom, and a relay module which houses, in a module case, a circuit configuring body having a switching element mounted thereon.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An electric connection box comprising:
 a base; and 
 a mounting portion provided on the base, in which a relay block having a plug-in relay mounted thereon or a relay module having a cover accommodating a circuit board with a switching device mounted thereon is selectively mounted, wherein
 a mounting direction of the relay block is different from a mounting direction of the relay module with respect to the mounting portion, 
 a block engaging portion for engagement with the relay block and a module engaging portion for engagement with the relay module are provided on respective wall portions of the mounting portion, the respective wall portions being different from each other, 
 a block-side locking portion for engagement with the block engaging portion is provided on the relay block, 
 a module-side locking portion for engagement with the module engaging portion is provided on the relay module, 
 one of the block engaging portion or the block-side locking portion is a first locking arm provided with a first locking projection, and the other of the block engaging portion or the block-side locking portion is a first latching portion to be engaged with the first locking projection, 
 the first locking arm is formed into a cantilevered shape having a proximal end on the front side and a free end on the rear side in the direction of mounting of the relay block in the mounting portion, 
 one of the first locking projection or the first latching portion, provided on the side of the relay block, has a locking surface on a wall surface thereof on the rear side in the direction of mounting of the relay block in the mounting portion, and the other of the first locking projection or the first latching portion has a locking surface on a wall surface thereof on the front side in the direction of mounting of the relay block in the mounting portion, 
 one of the module engaging portion or the module-side locking portion is a second locking arm provided with a second locking projection, and the other of the module engaging portion or the module-side locking portion is a second latching portion to be engaged with the second locking projection, 
 the second locking arm is formed into a cantilevered shape having a proximal end on the front side and a free end on the rear side in the direction of mounting on the mounting portion of the relay module, and 
 one of the second locking projection or the second latching portion, which is provided on the side of the relay module, has a locking surface on a wall surface thereof on the rear side in the direction of mounting of the relay module in the mounting portion, and the other of the second locking projection or the second latching portion has a locking surface on a wall surface thereof on the front side in the direction of mounting of the relay module in the mounting portion. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The electric connection box according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the relay module is provided with a connector portion fixed to the circuit board and configured to have a hood portion, wherein the connector portion is capable of being fitted to an external connector, and 
 the connector portion is provided with a fixing portion for fixing the connector portion to the circuit board at a position deviated from the hood portion. 
 
     
     
       3. The electric connection box according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the relay block is configured to allow the plug-in relay to be mounted and demounted. 
 
     
     
       4. The electric connection box according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the mounting portion is configured to allow the relay module to be mounted and demounted. 
 
     
     
       5. A relay module configured to be mountable in the electric connection box according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 a connector portion fixed to the circuit board and configured to have a hood portion, wherein the connector portion is capable of being fitted to an external connector, wherein 
 the connector portion is provided with a fixing portion for fixing the connector portion to the circuit board at a position deviated from the hood portion.